Parklands Primary School

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Governors have not, until recently, held the school to account for all aspects of its work.  Subject leaders are new to their roles and so have not been sufficiently involved in the drive to improve teaching.  The achievement of disadvantaged pupils is not good enough. Some are still catching up on their previous underachievement.  Not enough of the most able pupils are making better than expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teachers’ expectations are too low for the less able pupils and so they do not make good progress.  Teaching is not yet typically good.  Some teachers do not check pupils’ work frequently enough in lessons to make sure all pupils make good progress.  In some lessons pupils do not always listen carefully and so do not respond quickly enough to the teachers’ instructions.

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The school has the following strengths

 The school is improving after a period of underperformance.  The new headteacher has quickly made improvements in the teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Pupils feel safe at school and are caring and considerate.  Standards rose in the 2014 national tests and pupils currently in the school are making better progress than in previous years.  Attendance has improved and is now above the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 18 lessons of which four were jointly observed with the headteacher and deputy headteacher.  A walk around the school to make short visits to several lessons was carried out by an inspector with the headteacher.  Inspectors heard pupils reading and met with a group of pupils.  The views of 87 parents and carers who responded to the online questionnaire, ParentView, and seven letters from parents and carers were taken into account. Inspectors also took into account the views of parents and carers they met at the start and end of the day.  Inspectors took account of the views of 39 staff who returned questionnaires.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders, the inclusion manager, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a range of evidence including: the school’s own self-evaluation; the school’s

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Information about this inspection

development plan; the school’s information for tracking pupils’ progress; checks made by senior leaders on the effectiveness of the school and teaching; work in pupils’ current books and work from last year; behaviour and attendance records; minutes of governing body meetings; and the documentation relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Pervina Saunders, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average school.  The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. The remainder are from a number of minority ethnic backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is lower than the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported at school action is lower than that found nationally. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium is below the national average. This is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and for children who are looked after.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minium expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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Information about this school

 There have been a few staff changes since the last inspection. On the retirement of the previous headteacher in August 2013, the governors appointed an acting headteacher. A new headteacher was appointed from April 2014. Two assistant headteachers were appointed from May 2014 and the acting deputy headteacher’s appointment was made permanent in June 2014. Subject leaders were appointed from September 2014 and three newly qualified teachers joined the staff this year.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it is typically good or better in all subjects by making sure that all teachers: – set work that is challenging for all groups of pupils – check how well pupils are progressing with their tasks and adjust them so that pupils are not held back in their learning – give pupils clear guidance on how they can improve their work and check that they always follow the advice – insist that all pupils pay attention and behave well in lessons and respond promptly to instructions from staff.  Raise achievement in reading, writing and mathematics so that more pupils make better than expected progress by: – providing effective support to disadvantaged pupils, the less able pupils and the most able pupils so that the rate at which they make progress is increased.  Strengthen the impact of leaders and the governing body by: – ensuring subject leaders have training to help them have a greater impact on teaching and achievement

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– ensuring that subject leaders check on learning in their areas – ensuring the governing body regularly asks questions about teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.  An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 School leaders, in the past, have not been effective enough in ensuring that all groups of pupils make good progress. In particular, the attainment and progress of disadvantaged pupils have not been closely checked.  Subject leaders have had little training and have not been able to develop their roles. They have had little impact on teaching and learning in their subjects. However, the situation is improving as the new subject leaders are now taking responsibility for their subjects.  The school promotes equality of opportunity by ensuring that pupils who need extra help to achieve as well as their classmates get the support they need. However, some support has not been effective in the past. For example, additional government funding has been used to provide extra support for disadvantaged pupils but this has not enabled them to make rapid progress. Therefore, they do not achieve as well as the other pupils in school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The newly appointed headteacher is very positive and passionate about improving pupils’ learning. She is ably supported by the newly appointed deputy headteacher. Together they have already created a culture of good behaviour, high expectations and have been successful in improving teaching and learning. More teaching is good now than previously and more pupils are making good progress. The headteacher and the deputy headteacher have started to establish good links with parents and carers.  The curriculum is very creative and covers a wide range of subjects. It provides the pupils with a broad range of experiences and helps them to learn about the different cultures and beliefs in the school and in Britain. There is a full programme of assemblies covering a range of topics that promote tolerance and respect. For example, in one class assembly pupils explored the theme of diversity in Britain using the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

poem ‘Rhymin’ by Benjamin Zephaniah. The school fosters good relationships between pupils and does not tolerate discrimination.  Pupils are given good guidance and support to help them decide which secondary school they would like to attend when they leave the school.  Parents are kept fully informed about what is taught in each year group through the school website. Their children’s reports inform them how well they are achieving in comparison to national expectations.  The local authority has provided effective support during the past year. Advisors have given guidance on making permanent appointments and helped to improve teaching.  Staff who responded to the questionnaire for them are extremely positive about the new leadership in the school and say, for example, that they are ‘proud to be a member of the school’.  The primary physical education and sports funding has been used effectively to help teachers improve

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The leadership and management requires improvement

their expertise. It has also been used to increase pupils’ participation in inter-school competitions and to enable them to attend a greater variety of clubs, such as judo and golf. Pupils are now more aware of the benefits of exercise and more of them are attending the clubs.  Systems to ensure pupils are safe are very effective and meet all statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:  Governors have not previously held leaders and staff to account for the quality of teaching. However, they are now more aware of how effective the teaching is.  Until last year governors did not challenge the decline in pupils’ progress after the last inspection. They now understand the information available to them about pupils’ achievement and are using it to ask suitable questions.  Governors carry out the headteacher’s performance management but the objectives are not clearly measureable.  Governors are aware that good teaching is rewarded by increase in pay. They also know that if staff

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The leadership and management requires improvement

underperform they are supported to improve.  Governors have overseen the use of the sports funding and the use of the additional funding for pupils but have not checked that these have been effective.  Governors are now more involved in the work of the school and know a great deal remains to be done to improve achievement further.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  In the better lessons pupils have positive attitudes to learning but in other lessons they have difficulty in keeping to their tasks, particularly when the work is too easy.  In some lessons pupils do not listen attentively to instructions and so when the teacher requires their attention they do not respond immediately.  Pupils are beginning to take a pride in their work. Current work in books is presented more neatly then previously, although handwriting is sometimes untidy.  There is a calm and orderly atmosphere in the school. Pupils’ behaviour around the school, in corridors and in the playground is good. They are caring and considerate to others. Pupils from different backgrounds get on well with each other.  Older pupils are proud to be selected as school ambassadors. These pupils wear special blazers and look very smart. They help to care for pupils in the playground and welcome visitors.

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Behaviour

 Pupils also eagerly volunteer to help look after animals in the ‘Quad’. The school has goats, chickens and rabbits, which pupils learn how to care for. They enjoy feeding the animals as well as cleaning out the pens. Pupils who find it hard to develop relationships have a positive experience and learn a lot about cooperation.  Attendance has improved and is now above the national average because the school is monitoring persistent absences closely. Punctuality has also improved.  There have been no permanent exclusions in the last two years but fixed-term exclusions have increased slightly in 2014. This is because the new headteacher is enforcing high expectations of behaviour.  Parents and carers are very positive about the school and most say pupils are well behaved.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils say they feel safe in school and know about safety while using the internet. They told inspectors that they know how to stay safe when crossing the road and riding their bicycles.  Parents and carers who spoke to inspectors and who responded to the Parent View survey said that their children enjoy school and feel safe.  The school has rigorous systems in place to deal with safeguarding issues.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching over time in reading, writing and mathematics has not been consistently good. This has led to pupils not achieving as well as they could. However, teaching has improved and more of it is now good. Pupils are now clearer about what they are learning and teachers are questioning them more about their work to help them improve it.  The most able pupils are not always given work that is hard enough. They said to inspectors that they could do more difficult work.  Teachers do not always check how well the pupils are progressing in lessons and so learning for disadvantaged pupils, the least able pupils and the more able pupils is slow in some lessons.  Pupils are given feedback on their work but this does not always help them to know exactly what they need to do to improve it. Also teachers do not follow up the advice they give to pupils to see whether they have understood and acted upon it.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching assistants provide good support to pupils when they are clear about their role.  Homework is set regularly but some pupils find it too easy. A few parents also say that it could be more appropriate for their children’s ages.  Some teachers enable the pupils to apply literacy skills in other subjects. For example, while learning about the Stone Age pupils successfully put a story about hunting in the right order. They were also encouraged to develop their speaking and listening skills in the course of this work.  Work in books shows that pupils this year are generally making better progress than in previous years through better teaching.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and this gives some of them the confidence to explore pupils’ ideas more fully through effective questioning.  The atmosphere in lessons is positive. Relationships between pupils and between teachers and pupils are

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

good.  The school has the capacity to improve teaching further.

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requires improvement

 Pupils’ attainment has gradually fallen since the last inspection. However, the new headteacher has worked hard since her appointment to reverse the decline. In the 2014 national test results pupils’ attainment improved and the proportion of pupils reaching the expected level for their age was similar to or just above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils exceeding the expected level also increased.  Most pupils who completed Year 6 in 2014 made the progress expected nationally from the time they started the school. However, not many pupils made more than expected progress. Progress in all the other year groups also improved overall last year.  Disadvantaged pupils’ progress is variable throughout the school in reading, writing and mathematics. Generally they are making similar progress to their classmates but this is not enough for them to close the

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requires improvement

gaps that have widened. In 2013, pupils in this group were two terms behind other pupils nationally in reading and writing and three terms behind in mathematics. In 2014, the gaps widened between these pupils’ attainment and that of other pupils in the school. They were three terms behind in reading, and four terms behind in writing and mathematics. This was because their classmates improved their attainment at a faster rate.  A greater proportion of the most able pupils achieved the higher levels in the 2014 national tests than in the year before, particularly in mathematics and writing. However, not enough are making more than the expected progress. This is because teachers do not always provide them with work that challenges them. Also their progress in lessons is not checked often enough by adults.  Teachers do not always have high enough expectations of the pupils who are less able but do not have

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requires improvement

special educational needs. They are sometimes given work that does not stretch them and so their learning is limited.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are beginning to make better progress than other pupils this year. This is because their progress is now much more closely tracked and appropriate support is quickly identified. They benefit from additional support which contributes to their good progress.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress. They receive the support they need from additional adults in lessons. Resources are used effectively to help them improve their language skills. Most pupils from minority ethnic groups also make good progress.  The work of current pupils shows that most are making expected progress. Some are making better than expected progress, especially in reading. The school has invested in reading resources and has made

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requires improvement

reading activities a focus in the classroom. This is encouraging the pupils to develop a love of reading.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is failing

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Grade Judgement Description

to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 102299 Local authority Havering Inspection number 443851

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Junior School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 480 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Dawn Hughes Headteacher Mrs Julie Wilson Date of previous school inspection 25 May 2010 Telephone number 01708 743404 Fax number 01708 742184 Email address office@parklands.havering.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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